On Thursday I had the pleasure to lead a "Yoga in the Gardens" class in the Iris Gardens at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It had been raining much of the day, and the possibility of rain continued during the class. In spite of that, nearly 50 people showed up.
The highlight of the evening occurred just a few minutes after I started teaching when a family of geese showed up and started walking toward me. Luckily, just before they got to me, they turned right into the marsh. One of the students in the class was kind enough to share her picture of that moment.
It was a memorable evening for many reasons. In addition to being wet, the ground was also slightly sloped, so my mat kept sliding into the marsh. There was geese poop everywhere. The rows of Iris flowers blocked my view of some students, so I was standing through most of the class. A few bees kept me company during the practice, curious about something under my yoga mat. It was a big group and I had to talk rather loudly throughout.
Amid all of that, it felt like everyone was having fun! We savored in the breeze, the aromas from the Iris Garden, and the rest of nature. It was so nice to lead a class that did not require an Internet connection, screen, laptop, camera, microphone, or other electronics.
And in case you were feeling concerned for my safety, the geese seemed peaceful. Luckily, during our yoga practice we were emanating loving-kindness and no beings were harmed.
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